Endeavour Forum

Last updated

Endeavour Forum
Founded1979
FounderBabette Francis (1930-2024)
Location
Area served
Australia
Website http://www.endeavourforum.org.au/

Endeavour Forum (originally Women Who Want to be Women) is a conservative political organisation describing itself as "a Christian, pro-life, pro-family organisation that was founded to counter feminism, to defend the right to life of the unborn, and to support marriage and the natural family." It was founded in 1979 by the late Babette Francis AM (1930-2024) and has links to similar groups, such as the Australian Family Association and the World Congress of Families. It exerted strong influence on the Fraser government of the seventies and eighties and the Queensland state government led by Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen (1911-2005) until it fell due to internal government corruption in the late eighties.

Contents

The Endeavour Forum is listed on the Australian National Women's Register as a lobby group and as a "women's rights organisation". [1] Formerly known as "Women Who Want to be Women", it is now known as Endeavour Forum because the organisation recognised that men comprised a significant proportion of their membership and therefore their original name was inappropriate.

Lobbying

The Endeavour Forum campaigns against abortion [2] [3] with Francis being the Australian representative of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer. [4] [5] However, abortion in Australia has been decriminalised throughout Australia's various states and territories.

The Endeavour Forum has raised concerns regarding Islam in Australia and its radicalisation. [6] [7] [8]

The organisation was a partner of the Coalition for Marriage in advancing the "No" case, associated with the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey. As with the decriminalisation and liberalisation of abortion in Australia, it ultimately failed to prevent the recognition of same-sex marriage in Australia regardless.

The Endeavour Forum's founder, Babette Francis, was appointed as a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) by the Governor-General of Australia in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours List. [9] In 2022, she retired from the leadership of the organisation that she founded and is which is now led wholly by men. Mrs Francis passed away in July 2024 [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Andrews (politician)</span> Australian politician (born 1955)

Kevin James Andrews is an Australian former politician and member of the Liberal Party of Australia. He was the Member of House of Representatives for the seat of Menzies from a by-election in 1991 until the 2022 Australian federal election. Andrews is a conservative and a Catholic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cancer Research UK</span> Cancer research and awareness charity

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) is the world's largest independent cancer research organisation. It is registered as a charity in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man, and was formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Cancer Research UK conducts research using both its own staff and grant-funded researchers. It also provides information about cancer and runs campaigns aimed at raising awareness and influencing public policy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Abetz</span> Australian politician (born 1958)

Eric Abetz is an Australian politician. He was a Senator for Tasmania from 1994 to 2022, representing the Liberal Party, and since March 2024 has been a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the Franklin electorate.

The abortion–breast cancer hypothesis posits that having an induced abortion can increase the risk of getting breast cancer. This hypothesis is at odds with mainstream scientific opinion and is rejected by major medical professional organizations; despite this, it continues to be widely propagated as pseudoscience, typically in service of an anti-abortion agenda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Family Association</span>

The Australian Family Association (AFA) is a conservative Christian political organisation. It was founded in 1980 by the National Civic Council's then president, B. A. Santamaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Haussegger</span> Australian journalist

Virginia Haussegger,, is an Australian journalist, academic advocate for gender equity, media commentator and television presenter.

Right to Life Australia operated as an unincorporated organisation lobbying on consistent life ethic policies such as total opposition to abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Margaret Tighe was the last known President until retiring in 2010 and Toni Turnbull of South Australia was the last known Vice President. While the group states it was a non-denominational Christian organisation, most of those involved identify as Roman Catholics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voice for Life</span>

Voice for Life, formerly known as the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC), is a New Zealand anti-abortion advocacy group. It has also lobbied against infanticide, embryonic stem cell research, cloning and euthanasia. In recent years, it has strongly campaigned against the decriminalisation of euthanasia in New Zealand as well as abortion, but was unsuccessful in preventing the decriminalisation of either in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Christian Lobby</span> Conservative Christian advocacy organisation

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) is a conservative right-wing Christian advocacy organisation based in Canberra.

FamilyVoice Australia is a conservative Christian organisation. It was known as Festival of Light Australia from 1973 to 2008, and under the leadership of Rev Fred Nile, it rose to public prominence in the 1990's for its opposition to LGBT rights. Festival of Light's stated mission was to be "a Christian ministry to the nation, promoting true family values in the light of the wisdom of God". The name was changed to FamilyVoice Australia on 1 July 2008 in order to eliminate confusion with the many other festivals or groups around the world called "Festival of Light" or "Festival of Lights". Key activities of FamilyVoice Australia are providing information to supporters, churches and community leaders and lobbying on issues of concern.

The World Congress of Families (WCF) is a United States coalition that promotes Christian right values internationally. It opposes divorce, birth control, same-sex marriage, pornography, and abortion, while supporting a society built on "the voluntary union of a man and a woman in a lifelong covenant of marriage". WCF comprises organizations in several countries, and most of its member partners are strongly active campaigners against abortion rights and same-sex marriage. WCF was formed in 1997 and is active worldwide, regularly organizing conventions. Its opposition to gay marriage and abortion has attracted criticism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maxine Morand</span> Australian politician

Maxine Veronica Morand is an Australian academic, advocate for cancer patients, and former politician. Morand has a current academic appointment at Monash University where she is a professorial fellow in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. In addition she is a board director at Inner East Community Health and is the chair of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Family First New Zealand</span> Conservative Christian Lobby Group

Family First New Zealand is a conservative Christian lobby group in New Zealand. It was founded in March 2006 by former Radio Rhema talkback radio host and South Auckland social-worker Bob McCoskrie who continues to be its National Director. Its 2006 stated objectives were to "seek to influence public policy affecting the rights and protection of families and promote a culture that values the family". In 2009 Victoria University religious studies professor Paul Morris said Family First was "successfully broadening the Christian agenda in New Zealand politics in a way never seen before". In 2020 Family First was described as "New Zealand's most formidable conservative campaigners". Family First was established by a trust deed under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957 in 2006, was registered as a charity in 2007 and deregistered in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breast Cancer Network Australia</span> Australian non-profit organisation

Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) is a not-for-profit organisation that supports Australians affected by breast cancer. BCNA aims to ensure that Australians affected by breast cancer receive support, information, treatment and care appropriate to their needs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charmaine Yoest</span> American writer & activist (born 1964)

Charmaine Yoest is an American writer and political commentator. She was formerly the president and CEO of the Americans United for Life, an anti-abortion group. On April 28, 2017, it was announced that Yoest has been selected by President Donald Trump to serve in the United States Department of Health and Human Services, as the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Public Affairs.

Christian Action, Research and Education (CARE) is a social policy charity based in the United Kingdom, with offices in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julian Wilson (surfer)</span> Australian surfer

Julian Wilson is an Australian professional surfer who competes on the World Surf League Men's World Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wendy Francis</span> Australian political activist and lobbyist

Wendy Francis is an Australian political activist. She is a lobbyist on social issues and formerly the Queensland and Northern Territory state director of the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL). Wendy was the Managing Director of ACL and National Director for Politics until her recent retirement.

Angela Lanfranchi is an American breast cancer surgeon and anti-abortion activist. In 1999, she co-founded the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute with Joel Brind, John T. Bruchalski, and William L. Toffler. Lanfranchi is the president of the institute. She is known for advocating for a link between abortion and breast cancer, as well as for claiming that the pill has serious adverse health effects, such as causing women who take it to prefer partners more genetically similar to themselves. In 2014, she was the keynote speaker at the World Congress of Families in Melbourne, Australia.

The Coalition for Marriage was an Australian lobby group that advocated the definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman, as found in the now superseded Marriage Amendment Act 2004.

References

  1. Carey, Jane (16 March 2004). "Australian National Women's Register". Australian National Women's Register. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  2. Francis, Babette (21 November 2012). "Abortion's short-sighted 'solution' delivers long-term heartbreak". ABC. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  3. Phillips, Francis (18 June 2012). "Fight breast cancer – by speaking out against abortion". Catholic Herald. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  4. "Babette Francis" . Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  5. "AbortionBreastCancer". Abortion Breast Cancer. 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  6. Masanauskas, John (27 January 2014). "Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer of Stop Islamisation of Nations set to speak here". Herald Sun . Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  7. Masanauskas, John (23 July 2012). "Muslim women thrive with pool man ban". Herald Sun . Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  8. O'Brien, Connor (30 September 2014). "Anti-Islam, but pro-gay? How mosque opponents tie themselves in knots". The Guardian . Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  9. Sarwal, Amit. "Thirteen Indian-Australians in Queen's Birthday 2022 Honours List, Here's detail - The Australia Today" . Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  10. Bill Muehlenberg: "Babette Francis RIP" Culture Watch 17.07.2024: http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2024/07/17/babette-francis-rip